I did an Instagram Live on Thursday where the topic of setting an intention came up. It really got me thinking about what it means to set an intention, or to live each day intentionally. It seems like an easy enough task when we’re sat on a mat in a yoga class and are asked to set an intention for the next 60 minutes. Usually my intention is very simply “don’t die”. Sadly yoga as much as I love it is not one of my fortes. However, when we think about the stretch of the day, the length of a week or a month or even our entire lives, it can feel overwhelming and impossible. Your mind easily goes to places like “what is my purpose”, “is this what I want out of my life” and “how am I supposed to know what I want and how to live with a specific intention?!”. As a naturally anxious person (as you all know from last weeks newsletter) I have had to reframe how I see the phrase “live intentionally”. Instead of thinking too big I think about how I can get the most out of each moment. Eat joyfully. Nourish my body. Sleep well. Relax hard. Work smart. Practise empathy. I have found that these very simple and in the moment “mantras” or micro-intentions help me to live each day intentionally, without feeling the pressure of having to know all the answers. Two intentions that I genuinely love combining (I am nothing if not efficient) are to eat joyfully and nourish my body. It’s not always easy to do as I am not a person who gets pure joy from a salad - although I admit I have found many a salad delicious, but still not joyful. I, as much as the next person, love a massive bowl of freshly made pasta, or a really gooey chocolate fudge brownie. So when I make a meal which is unbelievably nourishing but also sparks pure joy within me, I honestly feel like superwoman. This week I made a pearl barley risotto which I genuinely believe ticks both boxes. It’s plant forward and packed with fiber, prebiotics, vitamin D & beta-glucans. Plus it’s delicious and joy sparking, AND it requires cook with wine which means you get to drink some at the same time and not feel guilty at all. I hope you all enjoy it, and happy micro-intention setting :)
Pearl Barley Risotto With Oyster Mushrooms, Sunchokes + Butternut Squash
I’d like to preface this recipe by stating that although this recipe is genuinely ez it does take a little bit of time. However, like most good things in life, it is worth the wait.
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into smallish cubes (This is likely the hardest part of the entire recipe, I have yet to find an easy way to cut a butternut squash in half)
5-6 sunchokes aka jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut into smallish cubes (Sunchokes are root vegetables currently in season and come from the sunflower family, hence the cute name. I love them because they are naturally really high in prebiotic fiber which is great for your gut as it feeds the good bacteria in your tummy, in addition to being a natural source of magnesium which is good for relaxing your body and mind)
1 large banana shallot, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and diced
1 1/2 cups dried pearl barley (I swapped rice for pearl barley as it is super high in fiber, and packed with more nutrients than white rice due to its wholegrain status)
1/3 cup white wine (I used my fave natural white wine that I was more than happy to drink while stirring the pot)
3-4 cups hot stock kept in a pan on the stove (I used chicken but you can easily sub this for a vegan stock)
8 oyster mushrooms, sliced (Oyster mushrooms are one of the most nutrient dense mushrooms you can get at a supermarket. They are super high in vitamin D and beta-glucans which help to boost your immune system)
Option knob of butter (Grassfed, goat or vegan)
Parsley, roughly chopped
1. Preheat your oven to 200C / 390F
2. Combine your squash + sunchokes in a large bowl, add a generous drizzle of your cooking oil of choice (I used olive), a large pinch of salt and some cracked pepper.
3. Stir well so that all the cubes of veg are evenly coated, pop onto a lined tray and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until soft in the centre and browned on the outside (see image). Use this 25 minutes of waiting to relax - have a bath, read your book, listen to a podcast.
4. In a large sauce pan, cook your shallots in your oil of choice on a low heat until translucent. Add garlic and cook for a further few minutes until soft.
5. Add your pearl barley and cook for 5 minutes, you will smell it getting nice and toasty.
6. Add your wine, and stir until it has been absorbed by the barley.
7. Add your cooked squash and sunchokes, give a good stir so everything is evenly distrubuted.
8. Start to gradually add your stock 1/2 cup at a time. Continuously stir until each 1/2 cup is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. (This is the time consuming part but personally I found it quite meditative).
9. Once you’ve added about 2 1/2 cups of the stock start to taste the barley before adding in more. You want it to feel soft while maintaining a little bite. (Note: It won’t be as soft as rice as barley is a harder more chewier grain in general)
10. When you feel your barley is almost done, it is time to cook the mushrooms. Mushrooms are best cooked non crowded on a hot, very lightly oiled non stick pan. You want them to be browned without releasing too much liquid and becoming slimy. Season with a little salt right at the end of cooking them. This process should take about 5 minutes.
11. Once your risotto is finished cooking (soft with a little bit, not claggy and dry it should still feel a little liquidy), stir in a knob of cold butter, taste and the season with salt and cracked pepper.
12. Serve by spooning the risotto onto a plate or into a bowl, topping with mushrooms and a generous sprinkle of parsley.
Readers Corner
A list of interesting and informative things I read this week.
A great review on Barack Obamas much anticipated political memoir
My team recently launched a new brand Chaga-ccino, which made it into an article about functional mushrooms
I was very inspired by this idea of a tea garden
An informative article on a the newly announced COVID vaccine, worth a read regardless of your personal opinions on vaccination
That’s all for this week! I hope you have been able to take away something positive from this newsletter :) If you give the risotto a go please feel free to tag me on Instagram, I’d be thrilled to see your creations. Wishing you all well during this difficult period x
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